The Local Food Lab Accelerator is a six-week program located in the heart
of Silicon Valley that helps entrepreneurs take an early stage idea for a
food or farm startup and turn it into a complete business plan and product
concept. We will work with any food or farm idea that simultaneously shows
strong business potential and a social commitment. Entrepreneurs well
suited for our program are those interested in creating startups that offer
packaged and prepared food products, catering and food services, food+tech
products, urban to medium-scale agricultural products and services, and
programs that expand the interest and demand for a more sustainable food
system.

Each session will be organized around a critical element of business
education, and always through the lens of sustainable food. Topics covered
include market and industry analysis, product and service design, financial
forecasting, sales and marketing strategy, development of a social mission
statement, management of a mission aligned team, and the effective pitch
and presentation of a new business. Students will meet and learn from a
wide variety of food and agriculture industry mentors to help develop and
grow their startups and networks. A delicious and sustainable lunch or
dinner will be served at every class.

The Winter Accelerator culminates in the capstone Venture Fair, where
students will showcase their startups to investors, industry leaders,
potential co-founders and key partners in the good food economy.